


the quality of mercy

by TheOtherOdinson



Series: Lost Son [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Family Drama, Gen, Loki Has Issues, even more of them than before
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-28
Updated: 2016-04-28
Packaged: 2018-06-05 00:04:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6681322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheOtherOdinson/pseuds/TheOtherOdinson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>His enemies can hunt him, they can put him in a cage. But Loki will not break.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the quality of mercy

_Loki! Please, stop!_

Feet pounded after him. Loki didn't dare take the time to look back, intent on making it to the double doors he saw at the end of the corridor. Then the doors opened. Armoured men with swords spilled through. He could see the storm commander's king with them.

He did not understand these people and their fascination with swords.

Loki skidded to a halt, almost falling in the process. Considered his options. Doubled back.

The men clamoured after him.

_He is not to harmed!_

_Loki, please!_

He ran right at the storm commander. He'd been at Loki's heels since he made his desperate escape. Two other men were close behind him. Loki remembered them both from before, when they kept him in the dungeon. He ran straight at them, then turned hard to the left. The storm commander lunged at him and missed.

One of the armoured men made a grab for him. Loki put him down without pause. Another threw a shield at his feet. He leaped over it.

One swung a sword at him. And was blasted with some kind of energy weapon that carried him clear across Loki's path and slammed him into a wall for his trouble.

They were so peculiar.

_I said - he is not to be harmed!_

_Yes, my king!_

Loki raced across the stone floor. The wall was open to the outside. Almost all of them were. This one did not have a golden shimmer around it. It was high up. But perhaps he would survive the fall. He grit his teeth, ran hard, and prepared to throw himself out the side of this wretched place.

_No!_

_Loki!_

He didn't make it.

One moment he was almost to the edge. The next he was being slammed to the side and rolling across the hard floor, knocking into the legs of his pursuers. Before he could even catch his breath to rise, the storm commander was scrambling on hands and knees to grab hold of him.

_I have him, Father._

_Well done, my son._

_Gods, Thor! Could you have thrown yourself at him any harder? I think you left a dent in the floor._

Loki squeezed his eyes shut. So close. _I'm sorry, Father._

*** * * * ***

He'd failed.

The one thing he swore to his father he would not do.

_I will succeed. Or I will die._

_Yes. You will._

_I will not fail you, Father._

Loki's laugh was sharp and bitter.

Oh. He'd failed twice.

*** * * * ***

_You're going to move Loki back to his own rooms?_

_Yes. Eir and your mother both believe being in familiar surroundings with help him remember. In the meantime, I will set force-fields around the exterior so he cannot escape. The doors will be well guarded._

_Either myself, or one of my friends, will be there at all times. We'll keep Loki safe._

_He will try to get out, Thor. He does not know us. You must be wary, keep your guard up._

_I understand. I will not lose him again, Father. I promise._

*** * * * ***

They took him to the magic woman again. It was how she described her abilities. She said it helped her heal others.

_I would help you to heal, if you will allow it._

He wondered who would give her modifications just so she could waste them on healing the weak.

She looked sad when he asked her.

*** * * * ***

The storm commander's king didn't remain long after they spoke. No one came for some time after. Finally, the two guards outside his cell were joined by four others. The lone woman spoke for them.

_By order of the Allfather you are to be moved. We're here to escort you, Loki._

They surrounded him on all sides and led him out of the dungeons. They walked to a strange, small craft. Long and curved along the bottom and sides. But open. Yet as he looked about him, he could see other such craft in the air. Flying.

_In you go, then. And before you ask, there will be no detours to the seas to look for draugen._

One of the men grinned at him. Loki just stared back. He climbed into the craft and sat.

They traveled the rest of the way in silence.

*** * * * ***

_Four attempts to escape in two days, Thor. We do not have nearly enough guards. Especially since he keeps sending so many to Eir and her healers._

_I will ask for more guards, and remain as well._

_For how long?_

_For as long as it takes for my brother to remember me._

_We'll stay with you. He can't get past all of us._

*** * * * ***

No one was coming for him. He knew it. Loki wondered if they knew what had become of him. Wondered if his father would send one of his sisters to succeed where Loki had failed.

Gamora? She never failed. Father said it often. Would she come? Would she take the Tesseract and leave Loki here to their enemies? Look at him with pity in her eyes, as she so often did?

Or Nebula? She wanted this mission so badly. Father gave it to him instead. Oh, how she she hated Loki for it.

Would either of them bother to put him down before they left? Or would they leave him here to live with the shame of his capture?

It would be no more than what he deserved.

*** * * * ***

_Sif? Are you all right?_

_I have had broken bones before. It's nothing._

_Yes, but I've never before had to see your broken bones sticking out of your skin._

_Oh, do shut up, Fandral. At least I'm not the one whose face looks like it's been bashed repeatedly into a wall._

*** * * * ***

_You won't be able to go outside, I'm afraid. Just for the time being._

The woman who always smiled at him fluttered about, throwing open doors. Explaining what lay within the rooms beyond.

He'd been brought to massive structure in the middle of a city. Led up and up and up until they found rooms high enough. High enough so he wouldn't try to escape.

_If you need anything you can ask the guards outside the door. Food will be brought up at every meal. You can have whatever you like. Just ask._

Always she was smiling at him, but it didn't reach her eyes.

Why was there so much space in these rooms? Full of furnishing, trinkets, books. Why was there a pool of water in the middle of the room? There must be a reason.  

_Loki? It's all right. I promise you're safe here._

He looked away. Pretended not to see that smile waver.

*** * * * ***

The storm commander grabbed him around the waist and carried him back within the walls of his gilded prison. Loki kicked, bit, screamed, hit, but could not get wrench free of his grip. The storm commander set him down in the middle of the largest room. Loki backed away immediately, wary of the great weapon the man carried. Waited for him to strike him with it.

But he never did.

The storm commander stared at him without speaking before turning to leave.

It was absurd, but Loki thought for a moment he saw tears in his eyes.

*** * * * ***

The storm commander's king came again. Looked at him without speaking. Instead talked with the magic woman in hushed voices. Loki couldn't make any of it out. He studied the strange device before him. Soul Forge. The magic woman had put him within it three times now. He was so sure it was some kind of torture device the first time. But it never hurt. Just sang to him its lovely and strangely haunting song.

Song he began to hear in his sleep.

_Magic, my prince. It's magic._

Sometimes the strangeness of their words made something in his head ache.

He didn't complain.

A son of Thanos doesn't complain.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, I made a series out of this. You all happy now?!


End file.
